How to attend

Lifestyle Center needs families

The Lifestyle Center in Visalia is looking for families to participate in a weight ®management program.Fitness and nutrition professionals will share their expertise regarding exercise and food during the six-week program. Enrollment ends Feb. 1.Information: www.kaweahdelta.org.

Two hours before stores at the Visalia Mall even open for business, crowds begin to gather in the food court.

The crowds aren't at the mall for the next big gadget or holiday shopping — they have arrived to get some exercise.

"We don't have to worry about the rain, dogs or strangers attacking us," said Elsie Kaloustian, who has been walking at the mall for more than 15 years. "And it's cool in the summer and warm in the winter."

Kaloustian is part of The Lifestyle Center's Walking Program, although she admits she doesn't walk as much as she did in the past. Kaloustian is known as the Daycare Grandmother, fellow walkers joked.

The program has been led for the past nine years by fitness instructor Michelle Arnold, who said the program was around way before she arrived.

"It's free to the community and there's no sign-up required. Just show up and join us," she said.

Opening the doors

While The Lifestyle Center's Walking Program doesn't technically begin until 9 a.m., the Visalia Mall opens its doors an hour earlier for walkers.

"We believe it's a great community service," said Monique de Lemos, Visalia Mall common-area coordinator. "We make sure we get the place safe for them; these are our loyal shoppers. We get the sweetest people in the morning. The best of the best of Visalians are out here."

Cinnabon, Auntie Anne's and Sbarro open early and have coffee available when the mall opens, de Lemos said.

An added bonus is the security the mall offers at all hours.

"Our staff is in tune with what's going on and they support the walk," de Lemos said. "The walkers have even gotten to know some of the staff."

Preparing to walk

The walking program begins with about 30 minutes of stretching and light aerobics led by Arnold. A portable stereo provides music during stretching.

The group then begins walking inside the mall.

"My job is to encourage them and keep them motivated," she said. "It also helps if you find people to walk with."

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The program typically has a larger showing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but smaller crowds overall in the winter.

Arnold sees that people aren't as anxious to leave their home, even though she sees the climate inside the mall as one of the biggest advantages the program offers.

Sherrye Brumley of Visalia agrees and has been coming to the mall almost every day for more than 10 years.

"I would take my kid to school then stopping at the mall to walk was an easy routine," Brumley said. "But don't go straight home because you won't come back."

Last Monday, she arrived just after 8 a.m. to begin walking the mall and did the stretches when Arnold arrived.

"It's the same routine every day and it's simple for a reason," Arnold said. "Its not meant to be a workout. It's intention is to stretch, and anyone can do it."

Arnold believes the important thing is getting out of the house and moving around.

"As long as you're here and you're moving, that's what's important," Arnold said. "It's very social and gives people something to look forward to, a reason to get out and move. There's a sense of accountability between regulars."

The coffee klatch

For Blanche Parton of Visalia, health problems have kept her from doing the mall walks as often as she did for years, but they haven't kept her from her former walking partners.

"Our group has turned into a coffee klatch. We chat and keep up with things," Parton said. "We have a melting pot of people from various nationalities. As women do, we sit around, have coffee and talk a lot about food."

The nationalities in the group include Armenian, Portuguese and Italian, making talks about family recipes fun, they said.

The group meets at the food court just tables away from the walking program.

Parton brought brownies for the group on Tuesday.

The benefits

When Arnold first began doing the walking program, she didn't have any children.

When they began to arrive, she continued to walk the mall.

"Being able to bring my kids was an added benefit," said Arnold, whose kids are all in school now.

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Just hours after having her first child, she was at the mall leading the program.

"It's been a benefit for my own health," she said.

Kaloustian also saw the benefits. She would walk 3 miles at the mall every day and then go to The Lifestyle Center and do 3 more.

A lap around the inside perimeter of the mall is about half a mile.

"It works out good for us. It keeps us healthy. It's really nice of them to open the mall this early," Kaloustian said. "It's a lot of fun. We don't exclude anyone, and enjoy the camaraderie."

When regulars don't show up, people begin to worry and calls are made.

"If someone is ever sick, we all reach out to each other and help one another," she said.

The walking program generally attracts an older population, but Arnold said all are welcome.

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